Internet-based search mechanism

ABSTRACT

The present invention discloses a system for providing an internet-based search mechanism to enable an anonymous user to search for a resource provider. The system comprises a user device adapted to host an internet-based portal such that a user can submit an anonymous request for information relating directly to a resource. A secure server adapted to host a database containing resource provider information, to communicate with the user device via a communications network and to alert at least a first resource provider is also provided. The secure server is also adapted to initiate an anonymous communication channel between at least the first resource provider and the user via the internet-based portal and the communications network. A method for carrying out such a search is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a method of and system for providing aninternet-based search mechanism to enable an anonymous user to searchfor a resource provider, in particular, a mechanism utilising ananonymous request for information, relating to a resource required by auser, submitted to a database of resource provider information via aninternet-based portal.

The use of internet search engines is widespread, with many peopleaccessing such programmes via computers, laptops, tablets, smartphonesand other devices on an almost daily basis. Traditional search engineswork using a synchronous methodology, in that a search term is enteredinto a dialogue box and a plurality of results is returned, with eachresult being in the form of a hyperlink to a webpage. The ordering ofthe results is determined by an algorithm used by the search engine,which typically combines the number of times a search term appearswithin the content of a webpage, and whether or not the provider of thewebpage has subscribed to a pay-per-click advertising regime. Whether aword or phrase appears amongst the content of a webpage is notindicative as to whether that webpage is actually relevant to the searchcarried out. Results are not displayed in a format that indicatesrelevance or whether the webpage is indeed appropriate to the search,but entirely based on the inputs to the algorithm used. This can lead toanomalous results. Since historically the internet was designed forsharing information, searching for specific resources such as goodsand/or services can be time-consuming and frustrating for the user,since content alone is not sufficient to determine whether the searchhas been successful.

One example of this is where a specific resource is required, forexample, a user wishes to search for a direct flight from Liverpool (UK)to Southampton (UK). If a user enters the terms “direct flightsLiverpool Southampton” into an internet search engine, many thousands ofresults are returned. This may seem ideal initially, indicating thatthere is a wide variety of choice of resource providers (parties able toprovide the user with the requested resource) and a number of viableflight options. However, there, as of April 2014, no direct flightsbetween Liverpool (UK) and Southampton (UK). Despite a high number ofresults from the input search, these are in effect anomalous.Consequently synchronous search engines, whilst being ideally suited tosearching for information, are less efficient when searching forspecific resources, such as goods and/or services.

A second issue with using internet-based search engines is that once asearch has been carried out the results may be tied to the identity ofthe user in some way and used to direct further advertising or searchresults. For example, if a user inputs a search request into a searchengine both the search and the user's IP (internet protocol) address maybe stored by the search engine. This results in either previous searchesbeing displayed in a search history function and/or targeted advertisingbeing displayed next time the user accesses the search engine. Asidefrom using a pay-per-click approach, such as with the ordering of searchresults, parties may also pay for advertising on a cost per viewapproach, where advertising is charged at a rate based upon the numberof views through the search engine. This may be seen as being an issueaffecting the privacy of the user, the perceived security of the searchprocess, since in effect their identity is known and used in providingyet further information regarding resources that may be anomalous.

There is, therefore, a need to optimise the performance of searchengines, taking into account issues with user privacy and security, andaccuracy of returned search results relating to resources such asspecific goods and/or services.

The present invention aims to address these problems by providing amethod of providing an internet-based search mechanism to enable ananonymous user to search for a resource provider, comprising the stepsof: submitting an anonymous request for information relating to aresource required by a user to a database of resource providerinformation via an internet-based portal; interrogating the database toretrieve information relating to first resource provider informationassociated with the resource and alerting the first resource providerthat the anonymous request for information has been submitted;initiating an anonymous internet-based communication channel between theuser and the first resource provider via the internet-based portal bythe first resource provider submitting a first Universal ResourceLocator (URL) to the user in response to the anonymous request forinformation; and if the first Universal Resource Locator does notcontain information relating directly to the resource requested by theuser, closing the anonymous internet-based communication channel andpreventing the first resource provider from communicating further withthe user via the internet-based portal, and alerting a second resourceprovider that the anonymous request for information has been submitted;else if the first Universal Resource Locator does contain informationrelating directly to the resource requested by the user, deleting theanonymous request for information from the internet-based portal.

The advantage of such a search mechanism is that it is secure comparedwith existing systems, due to the anonymity of the user, and theaccuracy of returned search results relating to resources such asspecific goods and/or services is greatly improved. It offers benefitsto the user in terms of increased sensitivity to information requests;reduced time spent searching for specific goods and services, and areassurance that the users' identity remains unknown by resourceproviders, thus overcoming issues and concerns associated with the useof personal data in an internet environment.

Preferably the database is a component of an asynchronous search engine.

Preferably, the user closes the anonymous communication channel.

Preferably when the anonymous internet-based communication channel isinitiated, the method further comprises displaying an option for theuser to accept or reject the Universal Resource Locator.

Preferably, when the user rejects the Universal Resource Locator, theanonymous communication channel is closed to the resource provider.

Preferably, the method further comprises the steps of: if the firstUniversal Resource Locator does not contain information relatingdirectly to the resource requested by the user, assigning a negativeindicator, and if the first Universal Resource Locator does containinformation relating directly to the resource requested by the user,assigning a positive indicator.

Alternatively, the method further comprises the steps of: if the userrejects the Universal Resource Locator, assigning a negative indicator,and if user accepts the Universal Resource Locator, assigning a positiveindicator.

Preferably the resource provider information is stored in the databaseranked in order of the number of positive and negative indicatorsassigned to each resource provider.

Preferably the database only contains resource provider information forauthorised resource providers.

Preferably the internet-based portal comprises a software applicationand user interface. In this situation, on receipt of the UniversalResource Locator the software application displays resource providerinformation in the format of an internet browser, and wherein theinternet browser has a content display region for content linked via theUniversal Resource Locator, an accept button and a reject button.

Preferably, content is displayed to the user one Universal ResourceLocator at a time.

Preferably if the first Universal Resource Locator does containinformation relating directly to the resource requested by the user, themethod further comprises the steps of: storing the anonymous informationrequest at the database; and polling resource providers until a resourceprovider able to provide the resource information is identified.

Preferably the resource comprises goods and/or services.

Preferably the information in the database is ordered by the number oftimes a resource provider has provided a Universal Resource Locatorcontaining the requested resource, such that the first and secondresource providers are ranked, wherein the first resource provider isranked higher than the second resource provider.

In a second aspect, the present invention also provides a system forproviding an internet-based search mechanism to enable an anonymous userto search for a resource provider, comprising: a user device adapted tohost an internet-based portal such that a user can submit an anonymousrequest for information relating directly to a resource; and a secureserver adapted to host a database containing resource providerinformation, to communicate with the user device via a communicationsnetwork and to alert at least a first resource provider; wherein thesecure server is also adapted to initiate an anonymous communicationchannel between at least the first resource provider and the user viathe internet-based portal and the communications network.

The present invention will now be described by way of example only, andwith reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for providing aninternet-based search engine in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the method of providing aninternet-based search mechanism to enable an anonymous user to searchfor a resource in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 3 is a schematic screen shot illustrating user options on a mobiledevice hosting the internet-based portal utilised in an internet-basedsearch mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

The present invention takes a different approach to existinginternet-based search engines, by using an asynchronous methodologyrather than a synchronous methodology to provide search results relatingto resources. In the following description, a resource refers to goodsand/or services required by a user, a resource provider to an entityable to provide the requested resource, and information relatingdirectly to a resource to details of a resource and not an indication ofcontent of a webpage. A URL containing information relating directly toa resource links or otherwise provides relevant content that isdisplayable to a user. Hence relevant content is content that relatesdirectly to the requested resource, and a URL containing appropriateinformation is one that contains information relating directly to aresource. An asynchronous methodology is one where results are providedsequentially, one at a time, rather than a plurality of results beingprovided simultaneously as with a synchronous methodology. Anasynchronous methodology can be described in the context of the presentinvention as follows. A user submits an anonymous request forinformation relating to a resource required by the user to a database ofresource provider information via an internet-based portal. The databaseis then interrogated to retrieve information relating to first resourceprovider information associated with the resource, and the firstresource provider is alerted that the anonymous request for informationhas been submitted. An anonymous internet-based communication channel isinitiated between the user and the first resource provider via theinternet-based portal by the first resource provider submitting a firstUniversal Resource Locator (URL) to the user in response to theanonymous request for information. If the first Universal ResourceLocator does not contain information relating directly to the resourcerequested by the user, the anonymous internet-based communicationchannel is closed and the first resource provider is prevented fromcommunicating further with the user via the internet-based portal. Inthis situation, a second resource provider is alerted that the anonymousrequest for information has been submitted.

If the first Universal Resource Locator does contain informationrelating directly to the resource requested by the user, the anonymousrequest for information is deleted from the internet-based portal.Results are delivered sequentially to an anonymous user, and should theresult not reflect the request resource accurately, the communicationchannel is closed. This is described in more detail below.

To enable such a method, a system for providing an internet-based searchmechanism to enable an anonymous user to search for a resource provideris provided. A user device is adapted to host an internet-based portal.This enables a user to submit an anonymous request for informationrelating directly to a resource. A secure server is adapted to host adatabase containing resource provider information, to communicate withthe user device via a communications network and to alert at least afirst resource provider. The secure server is also adapted to initiatean anonymous communication channel between at least the first resourceprovider and the user via the internet-based portal and thecommunications network. This is also discussed in more detail below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system for providing aninternet-based search engine in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention. A secure server 1 is located remote from an anonymoususer 2, who is able to access the secure server 1 via a device 3 that iscapable of supporting a software program and user interface givingaccess to an internet-based portal, the internet-based portal taking theform of an application that the user 2 can use to access datatransmitted to and received from the secure server 1. The user 2 isanonymous since their identity details do not form part of the datatransmitted between the device 3 and the secure server 1. The device 3connects to the secure server 1 via a communications network 4, suchthat data can be transmitted and received by both the secure server 1and the device 3 over the communications network 4, with the user 2using the internet-based portal supported by the device 3 to input datato be transmitted to the secure server 1 and view data received from thesecure server 1 by means of a display 5 on the device 3 that enables theuser 2 to interact with the internet-based portal. In particular, theinternet-based portal is used by the user 2 to send an anonymous requestfor information relating directly to a resource to the secure server 1.The device 3 is therefore adapted to host an internet-based portal suchthat a user can submit this anonymous request, by means of the display 5and connection with the communications network 4. The user 2 entersinformation into a dialogue box provided as part of the front end of theinternet-based portal, and displayed on the display 5. The search termsform an anonymous request for information, since the identity of theuser 2 does not form part of the request and is not notified to anyparty other than the secure server 1. Hence the identity of the user 2remains unknown from anyone providing information about the requestedresource.

The secure server 1 is also connected via the communications network 4to a plurality of resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n, who are able toprovide resources to the user 2. Each resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6n is remote from both the secure server 1 and the user 2. The secureserver 1 is adapted to be able to communicate with the resourceproviders 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n, via the communications network 4. Inparticular, the secure server 1 is provided with means to be able toalert at least a first resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n. This alertis to let a resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n know that an anonymousrequest for information has been received from a user 2. However, theidentity of the user 2 (name, IP address, email address, phone number orany other identifier) does not form part of this alert, or part of therequest for information from the resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n,so the user 2 remains anonymous to the resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . .6 n thought out the process. The secure server 1 hosts a database 7,which comprises information relating to each resource provider 6 a, 6 b. . . 6 n. The information is stored in the form of individual entries,each containing details of the resource provider in question, including,but not limited to, business information, contact details and preferenceinformation, as discussed in more detail below. In this embodiment, thesecure server 1 does not store any information in the database 7relating to the user 2. The secure server 1 is also adapted to initiatean anonymous communication channel between at least the first resourceprovider and the user via the internet-based portal and thecommunications network 4. This is discussed in more detail in relationto FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 is a flow chart illustrating the method of providing aninternet-based search mechanism to enable an anonymous user to searchfor a resource in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. At step 100, the user submits an anonymous request forinformation relating to a resource required by the user to the database7 of resource provider information via the internet-based portal. Thisis done by entering a search term or terms, such as “direct flightsLiverpool Southampton”, into the dialogue box provided at the front endof the internet-based portal. At step 102, the anonymous request istransmitted to the secure server 1 via the communications network 4.Once received by the secure server 1 the request can be processed toprovide the requested resource information.

At step 104 the database 7 is interrogated to retrieve informationrelating to first resource provider 6 a information associated with theresource. Once the first resource provider 6 a information isidentified, at step 106 the first resource provider 6 a is alerted thatthe anonymous request for information has been submitted.

At step 108 the first resource provider 6 a submits a first UniversalResource Locator (URL) to the secure server 1. This is then used toinitiate an anonymous internet-based communication channel between theuser 2 and the first resource provider 6 a via the internet-basedportal. The URL links to content relating directly to the requestedresource, with relevant content being content that relates directly tothe requested resource. The secure server 1 facilitates the transfer ofthe URL to the user 2 to enable the content linked via the URL to bedisplayed on the device 2 using the internet-based portal. The URL issubmitted in response to the anonymous request for information, and isintended to be a hyperlink to a website or webpage information relatingdirectly to the requested resource. Information relating directly to theresource is information that directly and unambiguously provides detailsof the requested resource, regardless of whether the resource is goodsand/or services, and is not an indication of either webpage or websitecontent (determined, for example, by the number of times a search termappears on a webpage) or sponsored links to resource providers providingsimilar goods and/or services. However, it is possible that a resourceprovider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n may try to provide content-based results orother inappropriate information as with traditional synchronous internetsearch engines, and this, as well as the method of dealing withappropriate information is dealt with in steps 110 to 114 below.

In the situation where inappropriate information is provided, that is,the URL does not contain information relating directly to the resourcerequested by the user 2 and therefore no relevant content can bedisplayed steps 110 to 112 are followed. At step 110, the anonymousinternet-based communication channel is closed, and the first resourceprovider 6 a is prevented from communicating further with the user 2 viathe internet-based portal. In this example, the first resource provider6 a submits a URL that contains information regarding indirect flightsfrom Liverpool to Southampton and direct flights from Manchester toSouthampton. This information therefore does not relate directly to therequested resource. The content displayed will therefore not match theresource requested by the user 2. Since the first resource provider 6 ais now removed from the search process by the closure of the anonymouscommunication channel, at step 12 the secure server 1 alerts a secondresource provider 6 b that the anonymous request for information hasbeen submitted. The second resource provider 6 b is then able to submita URL in the same manner as the first resource provider 6 a in step 108above. Again, if the URL provided by the second resource provider 6 bdoes not contain information directly related to the resource, such thatthe content displayed does not match the resource requested by the user2, the anonymous communication channel is closed and the third resourceprovider 6 c alerted, and so on, until the nth resource provider 6 n isable to satisfy the search request by providing a URL containinginformation relating directly to the requested resource.

At step 114, if the first URL does contain information relating directlyto the resource requested by the user 2, the anonymous request forinformation from the internet-based portal. At this point the searchrequest is satisfied and there is no need to keep any user or searchinformation within the internet-based portal. In this example the firstresource provider 6 a provides a URL that links to informationindicating that there are no direct flights available. If the secondresource provider 6 b has been alerted, step 114 is carried out if theURL submitted by this second resource provider 6 b contains informationrelating directly to the resource, such that the search request issatisfied. If the second resource provider 6 b does not submit a URLcontaining information relating directly to the resource, steps 110 and112 are repeated until the nth resource provider 6 n is able to satisfythe search request. If no resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n is ableto satisfy the search request, the search request remains logged in theinternet-based portal and/or at the secure server 1, until it is eitherdeleted by the user 2 or the secure server 1. This may be based upon atime before expiry of the search request or as the result of a specificdeletion of the search request.

FIG. 3 is a schematic screen shot illustrating user options on a mobiledevice hosting the internet-based portal utilised in an internet-basedsearch mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention. The screen shot illustrates the features shown on the display5 to a user 2 during use of an embodiment of the present invention,forming a user interface. The software application displays resourceprovider information in the format of an internet browser, and whereinthe internet browser has a region 8 for displaying the content linkedand therefore available via the URL, an “Accept” button 9 and a “Reject”button 10. These buttons are in the form of icons displayed as part ofthe user interface. A list of previous searches is available, displayedin a region provided on the left-hand side of the screen 11. These aresearches that have not yet been deleted since either so far noinformation relating directly to the resource requested has beenprovided, or the user wishes to keep the same search within the softwarefor future responses. The software provides the ability for the user 2to input search terms relating to the required resource, using a keypad,keyboard, touch screen, verbal commands or the like. The role of theseis explained further below. In addition, the internet-based portal iscapable of displaying the content linked via received URL at the sametime as at least the Accept 9 and Reject 10 buttons, the role of whichis explained in more detail below. Any searches saved for future use arenot visible to or available to the resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6n, but merely visible to the secure server 1. The secure server 1 pollsresource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n on the basis of any storedsearches to check whether a resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n able toprovide the resource information can be identified, but once the searchhas been deleted by the user 2 this is no longer possible.

In the example described above, the anonymous communication channel isclosed automatically by the secure server 1 if the URL does not containappropriate information relating directly to the requested resource.However, it is preferable that user 2 closes the anonymous communicationchannel. This is the purpose of the Accept 9 and Reject 10 buttons,since this is how the internet-based portal displays the option for theuser to accept or reject the URL. If, as described above when the URLdoes not contain information relating directly to the resource requestedby the user 2, then in this example when the user 2 rejects the URL, theanonymous communication channel is closed to the resource provider 6 a,6 b . . . 6 n. The user 2 rejects the URL on the basis that the contentdisplayed is not relevant to the resource requested, that is, that theURL does not contain information relating directly to the resource.

A further advantage of the present invention is the ability to assign anorder of preference to data stored in the database 7. This may be usedto order the resource provider information stored in the database 7 suchthat this may be used to alert resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n inan order determined by the system. This may be considered a method ofranking the resource provider information. Although many criteria couldbe used to provide such preferential data storage, in the presentinvention the preferred method is to use the number of times URLs from aparticular resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n are accepted orrejected. For example, if the first URL does not contain informationrelating directly to the resource requested by the user, a negativeindicator is assigned. If the first URL does contain informationrelating directly to the resource requested by the user, a positiveindicator is assigned. Where the user 2 is able to accept or reject theURL, if the user 2 rejects the URL, a negative indicator is assigned,and if the user 2 accepts the URL, a positive indicator is assigned. Theresource provider information is then stored in the database ranked inorder of the number of positive and negative indicators assigned to eachresource provider 6 q, 6 b . . . 6 n. In addition, if the first URL doescontain information relating directly to the resource requested by theuser 2, the anonymous information request will be stored in the database7 and resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n are polled until a resourceprovider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n able to provide the resource information isidentified. Consequently, the information in the database 7 may beordered by the number of times a resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 nhas provided a URL containing the requested resource, such that thefirst 6 a and second 6 b resource providers above are ranked, andwherein the first resource provider 6 a is ranked higher than the secondresource provider 6 b. In effect the secure server 1 alerts the “best”(highest ranked) resource provider 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n first.

In the above examples, the user 2 remains anonymous to the resourceproviders 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n. This is due to the secure server 1initiating the anonymous communication channel, since no identity datarelating to the user 2 is transferred to the resource providers 6 a, 6 b. . . 6 n, and once the search is completed all information regardingthe anonymous request for information is deleted from the internet-basedportal. Since the user 2 receives information via the secure server 1,the IP address of the user 2 is also invisible to the resource providers6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n, who merely provide information to the secure server1. The security of the system may be improved yet further by the use ofa walled-garden approach, that is, the secure server 1 is onlyaccessible to registered and authorised resource providers 6 a, 6 b . .. 6 n. In this situation, the database 7 only contains resource providerinformation for authorised resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n. Onlyauthorised resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n will be alerted by thesecure server 1 at the point an anonymous request for information issubmitted by a user 2. The database 7 is interrogated using an algorithmthat utilises probability weightings to prevent low performance resourceproviders 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n (those with a number of negativeindicators) being completely excluded from responding to requests, andensures that newly registered resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n arenot automatically deferred to more established resource providers 6 a, 6b . . . 6 n. Aside from the secure server 1 being able to poll resourceproviders 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n, resource providers 6 a, 6 b . . . 6 n maycommunicate details of resources to the secure server 1 duringregistration or at other times.

As can be seen from the example above, the system operates as anasynchronous search engine. This results in the content linked via URLsbeing displayed to the user one at a time.

Other modifications to the above embodiments will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

1. A method of providing an internet-based search mechanism to enable ananonymous user to search for a resource provider, comprising the stepsof: submitting an anonymous request for information relating to aresource required by a user to a database of resource providerinformation via an internet-based portal; interrogating the database toretrieve information relating to first resource provider informationassociated with the resource and alerting the first resource providerthat the anonymous request for information has been submitted;initiating an anonymous internet-based communication channel between theuser and the first resource provider via the internet-based portal bythe first resource provider submitting a first Universal ResourceLocator (URL) to the user in response to the anonymous request forinformation; and if the first Universal Resource Locator does notcontain information relating directly to the resource requested by theuser, closing the anonymous internet-based communication channel andpreventing the first resource provider from communicating further withthe user via the internet-based portal, and alerting a second resourceprovider that the anonymous request for information has been submitted;else if the first Universal Resource Locator does contain informationrelating directly to the resource requested by the user, deleting theanonymous request for information from the internet-based portal.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the database is a component of anasynchronous search engine.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the usercloses the anonymous communication channel.
 4. The method of claim 1,further comprising when the anonymous internet-based communicationchannel is initiated, displaying an option for the user to accept orreject the Universal Resource Locator.
 5. The method of claim 2, whereinwhen the user rejects the Universal Resource Locator, the anonymouscommunication channel is closed to the resource provider.
 6. The methodof claim 1, further comprising the steps of: if the first UniversalResource Locator does not contain information relating directly to theresource requested by the user, assigning a negative indicator; and ifthe first Universal Resource Locator does contain information relatingdirectly to the resource requested by the user, assigning a positiveindicator.
 7. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of: ifthe user rejects the Universal Resource Locator, assigning a negativeindicator; and if user accepts the Universal Resource Locator, assigninga positive indicator.
 8. The method of claim 6, wherein the resourceprovider information is stored in the database ranked in order of thenumber of positive and negative indicators assigned to each resourceprovider.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the database only containsresource provider information for authorised resource providers.
 10. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the internet-based portal comprises asoftware application and user interface.
 11. The method of claim 10,wherein on receipt of the Universal Resource Locator the softwareapplication displays resource provider information in the format of aninternet browser, and wherein the internet browser has a content displayregion for content linked via the Universal Resource Locator, an acceptbutton and a reject button.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein contentis displayed to the user one Universal Resource Locator at a time. 13.The method of claim 1, wherein if the first Universal Resource Locatordoes contain information relating directly to the resource requested bythe user, the method further comprises the steps of: storing theanonymous information request at the database; and polling resourceproviders until a resource provider able to provide the resourceinformation is identified.
 14. The method of claim 1, wherein theresource comprises at least one of goods and services.
 15. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the information in the database is ordered by thenumber of times a resource provider has provided a Universal ResourceLocator containing the requested resource, such that the first andsecond resource providers are ranked, and wherein the first resourceprovider is ranked higher than the second resource provider.
 16. Asystem for providing an internet-based search mechanism to enable ananonymous user to search for a resource provider, comprising: a userdevice adapted to host an internet-based portal such that a user cansubmit an anonymous request for information relating directly to aresource; a secure server adapted to host a database containing resourceprovider information, to communicate with the user device via acommunications network and to alert at least a first resource provider;and wherein the secure server is also adapted to initiate an anonymouscommunication channel between at least the first resource provider andthe user via the internet-based portal and the communications network.